Less than two days after it was installed, a vandal has already defaced the new Two-Spirit Rainbow Crosswalk in Penticton.
The crosswalk, located next to the Queen’s Park Elementary School and installed on Wednesday, May 24, was quickly the subject of hateful remarks from a vocal minority of the public.
By Friday morning, a dark streak from a vehicle’s tire marred the crosswalk, which the City of Penticton confirmed by email was an act of vandalism.
A statement from leaders of the community including the acting mayor and chief of the Penticton Indian Band was issued the same day it was installed condemning the hateful comments being shared about the crosswalk.
READ MORE: ‘No place for hate’: Penticton’s leaders address backlash against rainbow crosswalk
“For the rainbow crosswalk to be a true symbol there needs to be the condemnation of bullying and intolerance,” that statement read. “The installation of this symbol is not the end, it is the beginning.
“As elected leaders, we stand for a community that is diverse, open and accepting. There’s no place for hate.”
The Penticton Western News was also forced to shut down commentary on its social media post about the crosswalk.
A timeline for when the crosswalk will be cleaned or repaired was not yet available.
To report a typo, email: editor@pentictonwesternnews.com.
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